The rectangular cornice above a pair of glazed doors flanked by a single door to each side, each with a horizontal astragal and enclosing two adjustable shelves flanked by fluted pilasters, the lower part with a pair of central panelled doors flanked by single panelled doors, each enclosing a shelf, flanked by fluted pilasters, on stylised leaf and roundel turned feet, 304cm wide, 61cm deep, 260cm high (119.5in wide, 24in deep, 102in high).

Footnotes

Provenance: Gifted to The Order of Women Freemasons, Pembridge Gardens, London, W2. The Order was given the freehold of Pembridge Gardens in 1918 and the house was adapted with a Temple erected in the garden. It was duly furnished with gifts from their members.

Amongst one of their most prominent members was Lady Markham, Lucy Bertran O'Hea, CBE, (1873-1960) who became the Grand Master in 1938, she was the founding master of Lodge Mercury No.11 and remained in office until 1948.

Lucy's father was Captain Albert Berwick Cunningham and her mother was Georgiana Glentworth Steer. She married the wealthy colliery owner, Arthur Markham in 1898 and moved into their new home in Stuffynwood Hall, Derbyshire. Arthur became MP for Mansfield, the neighbouring town in 1900, but due to subsidence issues they left Stuffynwood in 1906 and moved to 48 Portland Place, London. In 1907 Markham bought Wyken Grange, Warkwickshire which he leased out to tenants.

In 1911, now Sir Arthur & Lady Markham, the couple purchased Beachborough Park near Folkestone, Kent as a country retreat, but at the onset of the War it was secondered by the War Office as a hospital. The Markhams then moved back to Mansfield in 1914 to Newstead Abbey. Arthur died in 1916 and now with his old friend David Lloyd George as Prime Minister Lucy increased her work with the Liberal Party. She was awarded a CBE in 1920 for 'services in the entertainment of the Officers of Overseas Forces' as she was involved in the Government Hospitality Fund.

The bookcase relates to a bookcase by T & G Seddon circa 1830 for Brodsworth Hall, S.Yorkshire, which has identical feet, see C.Gilbert, Pictorial Dictionary of Marked London Furniture 1700-1840, p.411. Charles Sabine Thullusson (1822-85) sold some of the furnishings supplied to his father in the 1860s when he was remodelling Brodsworth in a grand Italianate style. The furniture that was surplus to requirements was sold to the 1st Baron Bradbourne and by descent was acquired by the Knatchbull family at Mersham-le-Hatch, Kent. A set of eight white painted and parcel gilt dining chairs from Brodsworth via Mersham-le-Hatch were sold at Christie's, London, 14 May 2009, lot 87.

The firm of George Seddon existed in various manifestations between 1753 and 1868 and was one of London's leading furniture producers in the later part of the 18th century. T & G Seddon were Thomas Seddon II and George Seddon III, nephews of the original George Seddon and received a Royal Warrant in 1832. The firm's move from Aldersgate Street to Grays Inn Road is thought to have taken place around the same time. The firm was plagued by financial problems beginning with Morel and Seddon's difficulties in extracting payment relating to works undertaken at Windsor Castle, the firm's financial fortunes were always to remain in the balance.

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